- Dec 1 Peter John Wood, British session and touring rock keyboardist, and songwriter, dies at 43
- Dec 1 Peter Wood, English session and touring rock keyboardist (Sutherland Bros and Quiver; Al Stewart; Joan Armatrading; Lou Reed), dies of injuries from a fall at 43
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Dec 4 American rock guitarist, composer, (Mothers of Invention - "Peaches en Regalia"; "Baby Snakes"), activist, and filmmaker (200 Motels), dies from prostate cancer at 52
- Dec 5 Doug Hopkins, American guitarist and songwriter (Gin Blossoms), commits suicide using a pistol at 32
- Dec 10 Alice Tully, American singer and patroness (Carnegie Hall), dies at 91
- Dec 12 Mary Jarred, British mezzo-soprano and contralto singer (The Rake's Progress), dies at 94
- Dec 16 Charizma [Charles Hicks], American rapper, killed in a mugging at 20
- Dec 19 Michael Clarke, American rock drummer (The Byrds, 1964-67 - "Turn! Turn! Turn!"; Flying Burrito Brothers, 1969-71; Firefall, 1974-80), dies of liver failure at 47
- Dec 29 Yvonne Desportes, French composer (Seven Abstract Poems), dies at 86 [1]
- Dec 30 Arthur "Schneeze" Rollini, American big band jazz tenor saxophonist, dies at 81
- Dec 30 Mack David, American songwriter (Bachelor in Paradise), dies at 81
Kendrick Lamar
Eminem
XXXTentacion
Tupac Shakur
Nicki Minaj
Coolio